Traditionally, several methods have been employed for unloading and processing containers of parcels, packages, postal goods, etc. The most basic method involves manually unloading the containers one package at a time. However, this method is very time consuming and has a potential for producing repetitive motion injuries to the people involved in the process. These problems have lead to the advent of a variety of automated, and semi-automated processes.
In addition to manual unloading methods, there exist a number of automated and semi-automated systems for unloading containers. While the known systems vary according to the design of the container itself, the majority of such systems rely on simply dumping the contents from the container onto a conveyor, slide, or the like. However, such dumping systems are often troublesome when employed to empty containers having bar sides, internal shelves and internal brackets, wherein the contents of the container may hang-up on such features. Additionally, inversion dumping often leads to piling of the contents of the container, rather than spreading them in a smooth dispersion onto the conveyor. Furthermore, the tendency of the contents to pile requires that the mouth of the container be elevated above the conveyor a height sufficient to allow the resultant pile to clear the container. This characteristic of inversion dumping makes an already inherently harsh method even rougher on the packages being unloaded.
It would, therefore, be desirable to be able to unload-packages from an open front container in a manner that minimizes the probability of damage to the packages, and further releases the packages in a controlled manner in order to prevent piling.